Relay



Nov. 24, 1959 A. E. NEUMANN RELAY Filed Nov. 14, 195e A Trae/v5 YsUnited States Patent O RELAY Arthur E. Neumann, Winnetka, Ill., assignorof one-half to Frank Scoby, Chicago, lll.

Application November 14, `1958, Serial No. 773,901

3 Claims. (Cl. 200-87) This invention relates to electrical relays, andparticularly to coil-operated relays.

The device of the present invention comprises a coiloperated relayhaving a swinging armature attracted by a pole of an electromagnet andspring means to swing the armature away from a core pole piece. Theamature is provided with a cantilever spring attached to it adjacent itspivotal mounting and normally extending along and in contact with theface of the armature nearest the pole piece. The spring is provided withcontacts adapted to alternately engage opposed fixed contacts carried bythe relay frame. The arrangement is such that, upon deenergizing themagnet coil, the armature swings away from the pole piece to swing acontact on the spring into engagement with a fixed contact and evenafter such engagement the armature continues to swing outwardly, thusflexing the contact carrying spring to bias the same rmly against thefixed contact and eiect a wiping of the contacts at the time ofengagement. Upon re-energizing the coil, the armature moves asubstantial distance toward the pole piece before the contacts areseparated and thus a time delay is introduced in the operation of thedevice.

A further feature of the invention resides in the manner of mounting thelixed contacts whereby each is carried by a cantilever member and isreadily accessible for bending to thereby effect adjustment of theposition of the fixed contacts.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a relay whereinbetter contact is provided between the contact members, with less arcingthan is usual, and wherein said contacts are wiped across each otherduring circuit making and breaking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel relay wherein themechanical features produce a time delay in breaking certain contactsafter the coil is energized.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a relay wherein thearmature is held very close to a pole piece when the relay is energized.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relay wherein the xedcontacts are so mounted that they are readily accessible for adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a relay of thetype described which is economical to produce and reliable and eicientin operation.

Additional and further objects and advantages will become apparent tothose skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a relay embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the relay of Fig. 1, takensubstantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. -l;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the relay of Fig. 2 as viewed fromthe left end thereof;

Fig. 4 i-s an end elevational view of the relay of Fig. 2 as viewed fromthe right end thereof; and

Patented Nov. 24, 1959 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar toFig. 2 but showing the parts in diierent relative positions.

The relay of the present invention comprises a generally U-shapedmetallic frame member 2 having upstanding legs 4 and 6. A magnetic corepole piece 8 is secured to the web of the frame 2 by means of a screw 10or the like. A coil 12 is wound about the pole piece 8, in the usualmanner, whereby pole piece 8 constitutes a core for the coil and thecoil is provided with the usual terminals 14 and 16 by which it may beconnected in a suitable circuit. The core pole piece 8 extends upwardlyabove the coil and terminates in an upper pole surface 18.

The upper end of leg 6 of relay frame 2 is provided with an upwardlyfacing notch 20 in which a reduced neck portion 22 of an armature 24 isseated. The bottom of the notch 20 provides a fulcrum or pivot axisforthe armature 24. A tension spring 26 engages the outer end of thearmature 24 and is hooked to a bracket 2-8 riveted or otherwise securedto the leg 6 of the fname 2. Thus, tension spring 26 normally urges thearmature 24 to swing, about its xed fulcrum, away from the pole face 18.A contact-carrying cantilever leaf spring 30 is secured to the underface of the armature 24 as by means of rivets 33 at a position Ibetweenthe pole piece 8 and the frame leg 6. This is the only connectionbetween the cantilever spring and the armature. Spring 30 is ofsubstantial width in the area above the magnet and is provided with anopening 32 therethrough somewhat larger than the pole piece 8 butaligned therewith and generally concentric thereto. The spring 30extends outwardly beyond the free end of the armature 24 and carriesupper and lower contact members 34 and 36. The spring 30 normally liesat against the under face of armature 24.

A contact support plate 38, of electrical insulating material, ismounted on frame leg 4 by means of screws 40 and an intermediate spacer`42. The contact support plate 38 is provided with laterally spacedupstanding arms 44 and 46 (see Fig. 3) separated by a notch or space 48.The arm 44 carries a terminal member 50 having a web portion 52 rivetedor otherwise secured to the inner face of arm 44 and a clip portion 54extending outwardly past the edge of arm 44 land provided with anopening `55 in which a conductor may be soldered or otherwise connected.From the upper edge of the web 52 a ilange 56 extends linwardly tooverlie the end of contact spring 30 and extends from arm l44 inwardlyinto the area opposite the space 48. The ange 56 has a contact member 58secured to the undersurface thereof in position to be engaged by theupper contact 34 on the spring 30.

A second terminal member 60 is similar in construction and mounting tothe terminal member 50 but is provided with a lower ange 62 extendingfrom the lower edge of its web portion to underlie the end of spring 30,and it carries a contact element 64 in position to be engaged by theContact 36 of spring 30. It will thus be seen that the contactsupporting portions of the terminal members 50 and 60 are opposite thespace 48 between arms 44 and 46 and are readily accessible whereby apair of pliers, or other tool, may be employed to engage the llanges 56or 62 and bend the same the required amounts to adjust the normalposition of the xed contacts 58 and 64.

By reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that when the coil 12 isenergized the armature 24 is drawn downwardly to the position shown inthat figure. The lower contact 36 on the spring 30 is in engagement withthe iixed contact 64 rand the lower face of the armature 24 is inabutting relation with the upper surface of spring 30. Therefore, theonly free portion of spring 30 capable of any flexure is the portionextending to the left of the free end of the armature. That short lengthof spring is quite rigid and, therefore, the force of the magnet issubstantially completely exerted on the contact 36 to insure tight andrm contact with lixed Contact 64. By providing the spring 30 with theopening 32, previously described, the parts may be so adjusted that thearmature 24 approaches the end face 18 of the magnet core 8 very closelyto thus employ the maximum force'of the magnet to hold contacts 36 and64 closed.

When the coil 12 is de-energized spring 26 swings armature 24 to theposition shown in Fig. 5. It will be obvious that, as the armature 24 isswinging upwardly away from pole piece 8, the upper contact 34 of spring30 will initially engage fixed contact 58 while the spring 30 is stillin face-abutting relation to the lower surface of the armature 24.However, due to the flexibility of spring 30 and its relatively remotepoint of attachment to the armature 24, the armature continues to moveupwardly to the position of Fig. 5 and the spring 30 is caused to flexas shown. During the exing of the spring 30 the contact 34 thereon isdrawn slightly to the right and wipes across the fixed contact 58 tothus insure perfect electrical contact without danger of arcing orwelding. When the coil is again energized the armature 24 is drawndownwardly from the position of Fig. 5 but contacts 34 and 58 remain inengagement until the outer end of the armature reaches spring 30. Duringthis time the contact 34 is wiping across contact 58, toward the left,and those contacts are separated when the end of the armature reachesspring 30 and forces the same downwardly. Thus the contacts 34 and 58are separated while being wiped, obviating the likelihood of arcingthereacross. Furthermore, the interval of time elapsiug betweenenergization of coil 12 and engagement of the outer end ofarmature 24with spring 30 constitutes a time delay in the operation of the relay.Thus the relay is of particular utility in 4holding circuits wherein itis essential that one circuit be fully completed before another circuitis broken.

A terminal clip 70 is `secured to the armature 24 whereby the armatureand spring 30 may be connected in a desired circuit. Alternatively, thelower'ilange 72 of bracket 28 may be used for that purpose.

While a single specic embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein, it is to be under- 4 stood that the same is merelyillustrative of the principles of the invention and that other forms maybe resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a coil-operated relay, a pole piece having a free end, an armatureextending over said end of said pole piece and mounted for pivotalmovement about an axis at one side of said pole piece for movementtoward and from said pole piece, a pair of spaced fixed contacts on theother side of said pole piece, a spring member having one end xed tosaid armature only at a position between said pole piece and said axisand on the side of said armature nearest said pole piece, the other endof said spring member having contact portions between said contacts, andmeans for swinging said armature and spring member away from said polepiece when said relay is de-energized, said contacts being so positionedthat a contact portion of said spring engages one of said contactsbefore said armature reaches the outer limit of its movement wherebysaid spring is exed away from said armature.

2. A relay as dened in claim l wherein the other of said contacts ispositioned to engage a contact portion of said spring when said armatureis attracted to said pole piece and lies closely adjacent the said endthereof with said spring lying snugly against said armature.

3. A relay as dened in claim 2 wherein said spring is provided with anopening therethrough larger than and aligned with said end of said polepiece whereby said pole piece extends into said opening and into veryclose proximity to said armature when said relay is energized.

`References Cited in the ijle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS352,342 Miugle et al. Nov. 9, 1886 1,206,699 Harthan Nov. 28, 19162,526,455 Bonnano Oct. 17, 1950 2,677,024 Welch Apr. 27, 1954 2,814,690Zimmer Nov. 26, 1957 2,837,616 Jaidinger .lune 3, 1958

